News from the Canberra Middelmanns -- 1997
[There is a family photo too.]

[This page is also available in German/auf Deutsch.]


 December, 1997

Dear family and friends,

Yes, we are alive and well, in spite of being grandparents twice over! But first things first. Our warmest good wishes for Christmas and the New Year.

Some of you did not hear from us last year. Others of you know that we left Australia in May 1996 to spend 15 months in Nebraska, so that Helen could take up a scholarship from the Lutheran World Federation (Geneva) to complete a Masters Degree in Family Life Ministry at Concordia College, Seward. Participants came from all over the US. We enjoyed meeting students from other countries such as China, Ghana, India, Slovakia, Venezuela and Brazil. The world seems a small place when you meet people from many different places. Helen needs to see what ideas from her study can be applied to the Australian situation, and how. That will be a special challenge for her in the coming year.

Soon after our arrival in Seward we bought a trusty Toyota Corolla (1986), and a laptop computer. The car has been sold, but we brought back the computer to use here. We travelled by car to Detroit, and on another occasion via El Paso, Phoenix and San Diego to Los Angeles, returning via Las Vegas, Grand Canyon, and Santa Fe to Seward. Helen had fieldwork in Troy, near Detroit, in Green Valley, south of Tuscon, and in Arcadia (a part of Los Angeles.)

We were able to take some smaller trips in Nebraska itself, thus gaining some insight into the land and its people. We were somewhat amazed how German (in Seward especially Westphalian), German/Russian and Czech the population of Nebraska is. We enjoyed the glorious autumn colours, then the frozen lakes and rivers, and later saw the migratory birds flying north for the summer. Summer follows winter in a very short time, and the whole of nature just seems to explode with new life. For us, Nebraska is prairie, and Buffalo Bill, as well as age old rhinosceros skeletons found buried in volcanic ash. It is corn, and soy beans and milo in the east, and cattle in the sandhills of the centre and west. And it is hard-working, friendly people.

We flew to Ottawa for Christmas, where we enjoyed a truly white Christmas and Currie hospitality. From there we took a train ride to beautiful old Quebec city, where we stayed inside the walled city in a delightful small hotel. The days were sparkling clear, but it was cold! All our Nebraska winter gear seemed barely adequate. We look forward to spending Christmas this year in our own home, with Miriam, Nicola and her husband Craig, as well as Helen's father from Melbourne.

Some of you many wonder how Raoul spent his time while Helen was busy with her studies. He visited old friends and distant relatives in Minneapolis, Iowa City and Mount Vernon, Iowa, Dodgeville, Wisconsin, Chicago, Elkhart, Indiana, Cincinatti and St. Louis. Prior to November 1996 he also prepared himself for a three-week trip to Russia (Irkutsk and Angarsk in eastern Siberia). He travelled with his brother Udo and a team of some 50 Americans who were invited by the Russian Ministry of Education to teach the ethical principles of the Bible to schoolteachers, principals, and education administrators. Raoul took the opportunity before he left to refresh his knowledge of Russian history at Concordia College. How strange it was for him to discover that a probable forebear Anna Alekseievna Orlov was the key force behind the Russian Orthodox Church that in 1826 led to the prohibition of the Russian Bible Society. The Society had been set up in 1812 when, in the wake of theNapoleonic Wars, Russia had opened itself to the West. The recent renewed opening of Russia to the West may yet be followed by a similar closing.

Raoul worked hard on his book in the first half of this year, with the help of a professional editor. Now he needs to find the best way to publish it. After our return we had to set up house again (our house had been rented out empty while we were away), do some gardening, painting and repairs, and submit tax returns for two years! Our second grandchild, Thomas Paul, son of Richard and Keryn was born 27 September. We drove to Adelaide for his baptism early in November. Keryn and Richard had kept us informed about young Martin's progress (b. 31.1.96) by email and photos while we were in Nebraska.

Miriam is working on a ten-months' research project with the Australian Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation for her Honours Degree at the Australian National University. Robert continues to work in the fruit industry in Loxton, South Australia.

While we were in Seward we really appreciated having access to E-Mail to keep in touch with people across the world. We have just been connected here and would welcome a short message, if you are on E-Mail.

Meanwhile, warmest greetings from the Middelmanns in Canberra.

Raoul, Helen, Miriam



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